Alluding to a certain split within the SLFP led UPFA, Minister Sarath Amunugama said the SLFP felt the situation came as a miserable pleasure because the gap created by the Mahinda Rajapaksa faction's exit, could be filled with educated youth in the nomination lists at the upcoming Parliamentary elections.

He said when Parliament was dissolved last Friday, the SLFP had 127 members in Parliament. The SLFP had initially decided to give nominations to all sitting SLFP MPs. Therefore, it would have been problematic for the party’s nomination board to accommodate all of them if the SLFP faction led by former President Rajapaksa remained with the SLFP led by President Sirisena.

He said that young and educated youth, professionals and educated women have shown enormous enthusiasm to contest the poll under the SLFP grabbing the opportunity created by the void.

However, Minister Amunugama stressed that discussions were still continuing to bring the two factions under one flag and contest the poll as a single front.

Addressing the weekly news briefing at the SLFP head office, Minister Amunugama said there were many proposals to unite the divided SLFP with one group led by President Maithripala Sirisena and the other by former President Rajapaksa.